Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Jane Eyre (Seasons Edition -- Summer) by Charlotte Brontë

53 reviews

theothergrl's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

The prose is magical and extremely quotable, the story telling is brilliant with it's constant plot twists and developed characters. There are also some beautiful messages about sticking by your principles despite even the hardest of trials, I found Jane's character extremely strong for that, and she's not yet 20! 
If it were for that I'd give it 5 stars, however the 2nd half is heavily racist, ableist, xenophobic, and classist. Themes of colonialism and religious missions, institutionalisation, grooming (Jane is sadly very much groomed by the men in her life), etc. There is no condemnation of any of this, no revolt against bigotry in the narrative. Therefore, I can't give it a pass for being "of its time", as there are many classics which either resist against or refuse to entertain such bigotry. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Incest, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

sbookreader's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Astonishing that this is billed as a romance. The colonialist bent was equally unwelcome. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, and Classism

ritzee13's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Loved this book as a reread aswell, it was nice to know the story beforehand and catch glimpses of Mr. Rochesters shady behaviour and St John's robotic plans for the future. 

Also, I didn't realise how many red flags poor Jane is surrounded by. I begrudged her choice to go back to Rochester, but he was so much better than her cousin. 

The story provides keen insight into what could happen to a poor and helpless woman in a patriarchal society. It seems so easy for the men in her life to push her around and even order her to marry them, it makes me so uncomfortable. 

Also, as an Indian woman, I find St. Johns mission to rid the hindu heathens of their beliefs so ridiculous and disturbing. I don't know how people can go around claiming they have the greatest thing and try to fear monger people into a religion, its baffling.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism

isamomo's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“then you are mistaken, and you know nothing about me, and nothing about the sort of love of which i am capable. every atom of your flesh is as dear to me as my own: in pain and sickness it would still be dear. your mind is my treasure, and if it were broken, it would be my treasure still: if you raved, my arms should confine you, and not a strait waistcoat - your grasp, even in fury, would have a charm for me: if you flew at me as wildly as that woman did this morning, i should receive you in an embrace, at least as fond as it would be restrictive. i should not shrink from you with disgust as i did from her: in your quite moments you should have no watcher and no nurse but me; and i could hang over you with untiring tenderness though you have me no smile in return; and never weary of gazing into your eyes, through they had no longer a ray of recognition for me.”

and if i DIED MS. BRONTË.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Mental illness

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

alyssapusateri's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Incest, Misogyny, Racism, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual violence, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Colonisation

marianne_clh's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

ayphyx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This is the book that got me into classic literature.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Confinement, Infidelity, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism

edwardian_girl_next_door's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I first read this book in middle school and was thoroughly unimpressed; but reading it again, I have absolutely fallen in love. I think it's one of those books where you can find little gems tucked away in every time you read it. There's so much commentary on this (rightful) classic that I won't say much, only that I admire Jane's character for not succumbing to things she finds demeaning or morally wrong. She faces so much pressure from her aunt, her school's discipline and Helen Burns' example, Mr. Rochester, and St. John Rivers, but she refuses to bend to anything she doesn't want. As someone who has experienced far-right, high-control religion, I particularly focused on her rejection of the mamby-pamby, turn-the-other-cheek, obedient-until-death attitude represented by Helen Burns and St. John Rivers. She is a real person, not a monolith or symbol, who makes her own way in within the systems she lives in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, and Classism

Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Colonisation

jessversteeg's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Blood, and Classism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Colonisation

Minor: Death and Death of parent

condor's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It does keep you in your toes with some plot twists but also got me frustrated many times when the characters act completely illogically. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism